2013 Dodge Dart to Debut Wireless Charging Mat

Chrysler Group announced Monday that it will offer a wireless charging mat in the 2013 Dodge Dart, which goes on sale in the second quarter. The charging mat will be sold through Chrysler Group’s Mopar parts and accessories division for $199.99, plus installation.

The wireless charging mat is integrated into a bin below the car’s center stack, in front of the center console. When drivers and passengers place their phone or MP3 player on the grid, it charges the device while the car is running, Chrysler Group says in a statement. A special case is required for charging smartphones, and is included in the price.

“The Pentastar says that this $199.99 Mopar accessory is an ‘industry first,’ but we'll take the liberty of assigning an asterisk* to that claim, as wireless charging has been offered as a third-party solution for some time now (even at new car dealers),” Autoblog reports. “This is just the first such offering from an official branch of an OEM.”

MSN Autos says that although Chrysler Group is the first to hit the market with the in-car wireless charging mat, “Audi showed a wireless charging system at the 2012 SEMA Show.” General Motors announced last January that it planned to install Powermat wireless charging stations in the Chevrolet Volt and other vehicles beginning mid-2012.